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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1778
A letter, of 1st, from his Excellency Governor Clinton, of the State of New York, with sundry papers enclosed, was read.
Another of 9th, from the same, was read, intimating a desire to be informed of the sentiments of Congress respecting his conduct as commander of the forts on the banks of Hudson's river, which were taken by the enemy, and desiring to be furnished with certified copies of the report of the court of enquiry, &c.2
[Note 2: 2 These letters of Governor Clinton are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 67, II, folios 130 and 134.]
Ordered, That Governor Clinton be furnished with copies of the papers desired, and that the President inform Governor Clinton that Congress are well satisfied with the propriety of his conduct as commander of the forts on Hudson's river.
A letter, of 10, from Major General Heath, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry, Mr. [William] Duel and Mr. [John] Harvie.
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A letter, of 19th, from Colonel [Michael de] Kowats, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
A letter, of 19, from James Mease, Esq. cloathier general, was read,1 requesting the favour of Congress to choose, as soon as they conveniently can, some suitable person in his stead for that office:
[Note 1: 1 Kowats's letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIII, folio 487; that of Mease, in XV, folio 381.]
Ordered, To lie on the table, till the affairs of the cloathier's department are taken into consideration.
A delegate from Maryland read in his place, an extract of a letter from the governor of that State, respecting the measures taken, or to be taken, for cloathing the continental troops, and particularly those of that State; also a delegate from Pensylvania laid before Congress an extract from the minutes of the assembly of that State, desiring to be informed "whether Congress have on hand a sufficient quantity of cloathing for the troops for the ensuing winter:"2 Whereupon,
[Note 2: 2 These extracts are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I, folio 553.]
Ordered, That the Board of War lay before Congress an account of the cloathing on hand, and the measures by them taken for supplying the continental troops the ensuing winter.
In pursuance of a recommendation by the Board of Treasury,
Resolved, That Mr. Benjamin Armitage be appointed to superintend the making of paper for loan office certificates and bills of exchange.
The committee to whom was referred the letter of 23 June, from Major General Howe, having brought in a report, the same was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
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That the present situation of the State of Georgia by reason of the frequent inroads and depredations of the Floridans and Indians is truly alarming and render it absolutely necessary for the security of the said State, that the Military force raised for the defence and support thereof be kept up and paid in Continental Currency.
It further appears to your Committee, that the State of Georgia hath made large emissions of Currency far beyond their ability for the support of the Continental Troops, and other emergencies arising from their situation as a Barrier State, that the paper currency now in circulation in said State greatly exceeds any medium on which the value of paper currency can support any credit, and the considerable depreciation which has happened has fallen in a great measure on the officers and soldiers of the United States, who thereby have suffered uncommon hardships. To remedy the evils of this depreciation and to alleviate the sufferings of the soldiery, all which have happened before the State of Georgia could procure supplies of Continental currency, your Committee are therefore of opinion, that the immediate establishment of a Military Chest in the said State is absolutely necessary, and that it should be as regularly supplied as the service may require.
Your Committee therefore recommend the following resolutions.
Resolved, That a warrant issue on the treasurer in favour of Joseph Clay, Esq. deputy pay master general in the State of Georgia, for one million of dollars, for the purpose of establishing a military chest in the said State, and that it be forthwith transmitted to him by the Board of War; he to be accountable.
And, whereas it appears to your committee that it may frequently happen from the great distance, that the Military Chest may be expended, and that several sums of money may also be wanted for the support of the departments of the deputy Commissary, the deputy Clothier General, and the deputy Quarter Master General in the said State, be it therefore Resolved that the Deputy pay master General be empowered to pay such sum or sums as may be wanted for said officers, each of them respectively to be accountable, and delivering in a proper Account of their expenditures at the time of payment; and the more effectively to enable the Deputy pay master General to par form this service, he is hereby authorized to draw on the Continental Treasury, from time to time, for such sum or sums as may be requisite
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for the said purposes, transmitting with such Bills a regular Account of the expenditures, and also an Account of the expenditure at the end of every month, that may be made out of the monies sent or hereafter to be sent him.
Your Committee also remark, that they do not think themselves as competent to ascertain, what share of prizes taken by the Continental Troops and Gallies under the command of Colonel Elbert, may belong to General Howe, as the Board of War. They therefore are of opinion that the determination thereof be referred to that Board.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Edward Telfair, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, 201. It is endorsed "15. Ordered for the 16th."]
Ordered, That so much of General Howe's letter, as relates to what share of the prizes taken by continental troops may belong to the commander of the said troops, be referred to the Board of War.
Application being made by the delegates of South Carolina for an advance of 50,000 dollars, for that State:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A motion being made, that the Board of War do appoint a suitable person to proceed immediately to Trenton, or wherever the legion under the command of Count Pulaski may be, and cause the said legion to be mustered, selecting such non-commissioned officers and privates as shall, upon due enquiry, be found to have been prisoners or deserters from the enemy; that such non-commissioned officers and privates be not permitted to proceed to the army, but return to Philadelphia, and there deliver up their horses, arms and accoutrements to the quarter master general and commissary of military stores, the men to be disposed of as Congress may hereafter direct:
On motion, that the consideration thereof be postponed,
The yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Joseph] Reed,
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{table}
So it passed in the negative.
An amendment being moved, ∥and after debate,∥
Ordered, That the motion and amendment be referred to a committee of three, and that they be directed to report to morrow;
The members chosen, Mr. [Joseph] Reed, Mr. [James] Lovell, and Mr. [John] Witherspoon.
Ordered, That Mr. [Edward] Telfair and Mr. [John] Williams be added to the committee on the memorial from the Marquis de Britigny.
An appeal from the judgment of a court of admiralty for the State of New Jersey, on the libel "Timothy Shalor, versus sloopSpeedwell," was lodged with the secretary, and referred to the Committee of Appeals.
The Committee of Commerce beg leave to report to Congress, That it is their opinion fifteen thousand Hhds. of Tobacco should be purchased on public Account; that ten thousand Hhds. thereof be
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purchased in Virginia, and five thousand in Maryland; that the Commercial Committee be Impowered to appoint one or more agents in each State to purchase the Tobacco; that these Agents return a monthly manifest of their purchases, mentioning the Prices, warehouses where lodged, marks, numbers, &c. &c.; thatDollars be advanced the said Agents to begin purchase, and such farther sums from Time to Time as may appear to be necessary.
ThatDollars may also be advanced, for the purchase of a Cargoe of Flour for the ShipChase, ordered by Congress to be laden for the Eastern States.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of a clerk, save the last paragraph, which was added by Francis Lewis, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, folio 237. It is endorsed: "Laid on the table by Mr. Lewis, 29 August. Of great importance for Monday, 21 September." No action in Congress appears in the Journals.]
Adjourned to 9 o'Clock to Morrow.
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